It's
a tough time in Redmond for Microsoft's mobile team. The company's
platform, which had at one time enjoyed great success in the enterprise, is now
a shadow of its former self. And Apple, the single company that Microsoft
probably never expected to make a splash in the mobile space, is now dominating
it.

Whether Microsoft likes it or not, the future of the mobile-phone market is
rooted in touch screens. The company needs to develop a mobile platform that's
based on a touch screen. If it doesn't, Microsoft loses a key portion of the
end-user base that not only expects, but requires a touch screen to be included
in their devices. Apple has set the pace, now Microsoft needs to catch up.

A key success factor in the mobile space is to have a well-stocked
applications store. Right now, Microsoft doesn't have anything of the sort.
Granted, the company is planning to release a store, but for now, it's not even
in the game. That's a real problem that must be addressed as soon as possible.
And when the app store is finally released, Microsoft needs to do everything it
can to work with developers to get as close to Apple's 85,000 available apps as
quickly as possible. If it doesn't, it'll be just another also-ran in the space
with a few thousand applications to choose from.

4. Ensure reliability

One of the biggest issues with Microsoft's mobile platform is that it isn't
nearly as reliable as users might want. Whether someone likes the iPhone or
not, they know that it will work as advertised. They will be able to swipe
across the screen. They will be able to use the "pinch" feature.
Microsoft's Windows Mobile needs to provide that same reliability. It needs to
do what Microsoft promises it can.

5. Remember intuition

One of the most important things any company should remember when
developing a mobile platform is that intuition plays a major role in the
success of that platform. Does it make sense for users to perform a particular
function to open an app? Is that really the most intuitive way to zoom in on a
particular area of the screen? Answering those questions should be paramount
during software design. If a product doesn't react the way users expect, it's a
real problem.

Dont Forget the Enterprise

6. Forget everything you know about
Windows Mobile

For too long, Microsoft has tried to make Windows Mobile a mini version of
Windows. It needs to stop. Just because they share a name, they
don't necessarily need to share functionality. Windows Mobile should be a place
where Microsoft can push the envelope a little. It can do unique things that it
can't with Windows 7. It needs to remember that.

7. Don't forget the enterprise

Some software developers forget about the enterprise. In the mobile-phone
market, that's a major blunder. The enterprise is where much of the success
Microsoft hopes to have will come from. The new Windows Mobile platform needs
to be corporate-friendly, featuring options that go beyond Exchange support.
Making it easy to communicate with others should be paramount. Having the
ability to edit documents in an efficient way is also important. No expense on
an enterprise function can be spared. It's a key battleground.

8. Focus on the keyboard

One of the places where Microsoft can trump Apple is on the virtual
keyboard. Assuming the company ties its future to the touch screen, Microsoft
should spend as much time and energy as possible perfecting the typing
experience. It won't be as accurate as a physical keyboard, but it should be
improved upon over the iPhone's virtual keyboard. If Microsoft can succeed in
doing that, it's already one step ahead.

9. Simplicity is OK

Microsoft needs to remember that just because Windows is a sophisticated
operating system, Windows Mobile doesn't have to be. We use computers to handle
all the work we require. We use smartphones to handle some of the simpler tasks
we have. Windows Mobile needs to be much simpler than it has been in the past.
Look at the iPhone -- it's powerful, yet capable. Microsoft needs to remember
that.

10. Learn from Apple

Microsoft can learn a lot from Apple. The iPhone has single-handedly
supplanted every other major phone in the space. And its story is a case study
in what to do if you're trying to compete in the market. Microsoft lost that
vision somewhere along the way. It needs to regain it.